A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology

Smith, William

A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. William Smith, LLD, ed. 1890

(Στησικλῆς), an Athenian, was sent in B. C. 373 with a force of some 600 targeteers to aid the democratic party at Corcyra against the Lacedaemonians under Mnasippus. A more effective armament of 60 ships, with Timotheus for commander, was to follow as soon as it could be got ready. Meanwhile, Stesicles, with the assistance of Alcetas I., king of Epeirus, effected an entrance into the town under cover of night. Here he reconciled the dissensions of the democratic party, united them against the common enemy, and conducted that series of successful operations, which ended in the defeat and death of

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Mnasippus, and the withdrawal of the Lacedaemonian fleet even before the arrival of Iphierates, who had superseded Timothens [MNASIPPUS]. There can be no question as to the identity of the Stesicles of Xenophon with the Ctesicles of Diodorus. But the latter writer tells us that Ctesicles had been sent some time before to Zacynthus, to take the command against the Spartans of the Zacynthian exiles, whom Timotheus had restored. Schneider would reconcile the two authors by supposing that he was ordered to proceed from Zacynthus to Corcyra; nor does this seem so inconsistent with the language of Xenophon as Thirlwall and Rehdantz represent it. (Xen. Hell. 6.2. §§ 10_26; Diod. 15.46, 47; Schneider, ad Xen. Hell. 6.2.10; Wesseling, ad Diod. 15.47; Thirlwall's Greece, vol. v. p. 60, note; Rehdantz, Vitae Iph. Chabr. Timoth. 4.3.)

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